Tell Us: Easton's New Parking Hours

Members of Easton's business community lined up at Wednesday's City Council meeting to express concerns about proposed changes to the city's parking meters.

Council is considering changing the enforcement hours for the meters to 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday to Saturday (noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays) and raising the cost of the meters from 50 cents an hour to $1 per hour.

The aim is to raise money to fund the Greater Easton Development Partnership -- which oversees programs like the Ambassadors and the Easton Main Street Initiative, both designed to help the downtown.

But business owners told Council Wednesday they worry the change will have the opposite effect -- driving people away from Downtown.

Quoted on the Easton Eccentric blog, School of Rock president Ray Thierrin said later parking hours will cost his students' parents, who often drop off their kids and then wait. 

"It will hurt if people have to pay an extra $2 just to enjoy our lobby," Thierrin said. 

Meanwhile, Pastor Andrew Gerns of Trinity Episcopal Church wrote a letter to the city opposing the Sunday parking hours.

"If the meters go into effect at noon, we will have to drastically redesign our Sunday program," the letter reads. "It will make Downtown less attractive for people who want to come to church and stay Downtown for lunch."

He says "if" because Council has yet to vote on the changes. The city is set to have another meeting on the issue Nov. 27.

You can voice your opinion then, and you can also do it now. Post your thoughts in the comments, and take our poll.